Housefull (2010) Review: More Noise Than Laughs

Is Housefull worth watching?

Mostly no. Housefull has an energetic cast and a handful of funny set-ups, but its farce is too long, too loud and too pleased with itself to sustain two and a quarter hours. Sajid Khan throws mistaken identities, disguises and slapstick at the screen with real commitment, and Akshay Kumar’s timing rescues several scenes. The problem is that the jokes rarely build; they simply repeat at higher volume, and much of the humour leans on stereotypes that have aged poorly.

What is Housefull about?

Housefull centres on Aarush (Akshay Kumar), a good-natured man convinced he is a jinx who brings bad luck to himself and everyone near him. Unlucky in love, he leans on his best friend Bob (Riteish Deshmukh) and Bob’s wife Hetal (Lara Dutta) as he tries again to find the right woman. His search leads him to Sandy (Deepika Padukone), but getting close to her means dealing with her formidable brother (Arjun Rampal), while Hetal’s disapproving father (Boman Irani) arrives to complicate the household.

From there the film piles lie upon lie, with characters pretending to be people they are not and romances multiplying faster than anyone can keep track of them. Sajid Khan directs this Indian production in Hindi, with Jiah Khan in a supporting role. It runs 135 minutes and was successful enough to launch a long-running comedy franchise.

A cast that deserves better material

The film’s best asset is its ensemble. Akshay Kumar was at the height of his broad-comedy phase here, and his mix of physical clowning and hangdog sincerity makes Aarush more likeable than the script makes him interesting. Riteish Deshmukh is a reliable comic foil, quick with a reaction shot, and the pair have an easy rhythm in their scenes together.

Boman Irani understands exactly what kind of film he is in and plays the exasperated father at full tilt, which is more fun than most of what surrounds him. Deepika Padukone, early in her career, shows flashes of comic ease, but Sandy is written more as a prize to be won than a character. Lara Dutta fares a little better, and Arjun Rampal gets some mileage from playing menace for laughs.

Farce without a sense of timing

Good farce is a machine: each lie creates a new problem, and the pressure rises until something breaks. Housefull has the parts but not the engineering. Set-ups are introduced, milked and abandoned, and the same types of gag, from comic misunderstandings to pratfalls, return so often that the second half feels like a replay of the first. Songs arrive to break up the momentum rather than to carry it.

The humour also relies heavily on crude jokes and broad caricature, some of it at the expense of women, ethnic types and anyone who looks or sounds different. Audiences at the time were more forgiving of this than they are now, and a modern viewing makes the lazier bits hard to ignore. The glossy European settings and bright production design keep it watchable, but gloss is not wit.

Who should watch Housefull?

It is mainly for viewers who already enjoy this franchise’s slapstick, fans of Akshay Kumar’s comedies from the late 2000s, or anyone after a noisy group watch where half-attention is fine. Those who want romantic comedy with real characters or sharper jokes will be restless well before the end. Content is mild in terms of violence, but there is plenty of innuendo and dated humour about gender and appearance.

For better Hindi comedies with romance in the mix:

• Laapataa Ladies, a mix-up comedy that is far funnier because it cares about its characters.
• Kapoor & Sons, a family comedy-drama that earns its laughs and its tears.
• Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which delivers the same big, colourful entertainment with sharper writing about clashing families.

The verdict

Housefull is a hard-working but clumsy farce, carried further than it deserves by Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani. There are laughs to be found, but not enough to justify the running time or the dated humour, and the franchise it launched is its most lasting achievement.

Rating: 2.5/5